Les Enfants Terribles (French for The Terrible Children) was a United States Government project developed in the early 1970s, which aimed to produce clones of renowned soldier Big Boss. The project was sponsored by Zero, the central figure in the Patriots organization, and was carried out by Dr. Clark. The name of the project was presumably inspired by the novel and the 1950s film of the same name,[1] which was also used to refer the clones themselves.

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Due to his much lauded military career, Big Boss was made an icon and figurehead for the newly formed Patriots organization, a secret cabal that strove to increase its influence and power over the United States in the early 1970s. Fearing Big Boss's departure due to ideological differences, Zero required insurance that the group's icon remain, and that the genetic legacy of the so-called "Legendary Soldier" be safeguarded.

Since Big Boss's previous exposure to radiation at Bikini Atoll had rendered him infertile, Zero devised a plan to create somatic cell clones of the man. In 1971, he thus initiated Les Enfants Terribles, led by fellow Patriot member, Dr. Clark.[note 1] Dr. Clark, known by the codename Para-Medic, had considered the idea of cloning him since at least Operation Snake Eater nearly seven years earlier, informing Big Boss (at the time known as Naked Snake) about his genes being important to pass on in a conversation with him.

In 1972, utilizing the latest in Analog Cloning technology and the Super Baby Method, an egg from Dr. Clark's Japanese assistant was fertilized with Big Boss's DNA and transferred to the womb of EVA, who volunteered to be the surrogate mother. This success was the result of multiple attempts, with the project only having borne fruit after dozens of failures.[2] Of the eight embryos created from the fertilized egg, six were intentionally aborted, to promote stronger growth in the remaining two.[3]

David and his twin brother, as infants.

Further genetic modification was carried out so that one clone would express each of Big Boss's dominant soldier genes, which was intended to create a genetically superior soldier, while the other would express his recessive genes, which were considered inferior for the project's goals. Because of the respective gene expressions, and the mitochondrial DNA inherited from Dr. Clark's assistant, the twins had a genetic difference of .43%,[4] enough of a difference to fool nearly all DNA identification procedures exempting those that used precisescanning.

Nine months later, EVA gave birth to the so-called "Twin Snakes": the clone considered to be genetically "superior" would later be known as Liquid Snake, while the "inferior" clone, David, would be known as Solid Snake.[5]

Ironically, the project ended up causing the very thing Zero had tried to prevent: when Big Boss learned of the clones' creation, he left the Patriots in disgust. Because of this, Zero went into hiding, relaying his orders only via proxies (with the sole exception of one agent) and renamed both himself and his organization as "Cipher." By the time of 1974, both Solid and Liquid Snake had been used as an insurance policy by the Patriots, rechristened "Cipher," regarding Big Boss turning against them, which Kazuhira Miller had some awareness of.

Despite being considered the superior one of the Twin Snakes, Liquid was led to believe that the reverse was true, as a result of Big Boss's perceived influence.[note 2] When the two met for the first time as adults, Liquid referred to them as the "Brother of Light" and the "Brother of Dark." In spite of his supposed genetic shortcomings, it was Solid Snake who defeated both Big Boss and Liquid Snake.

George Sears, a.k.a. Solidus Snake, was the third survivor of Les Enfants Terribles.

Another clone of Big Boss was later created, this time without modification to dominant/recessive gene expression, thus producing a "perfect clone." This clone would later be known as Solidus Snake (meaning neither solid nor liquid), whom the Patriots would consider a "perfectly balanced masterpiece."

Solidus was ultimately entrusted with the U.S. Presidency, under the name George Sears, serving the Patriots as a puppet ruler of the country. However, like Big Boss, he rebelled against the Patriots, was removed from office, and went underground.

Sometime after Solidus' creation, the project was abandoned in 1976. Later in 2005, Jim Houseman remarked that the creation of Solid and Liquid Snake was an embarrassment from the 1970s and that they were the country's "dirty little secret."

Each clone had accelerated aging (or Werner Syndrome) written into their genes in order to provide a fail-safe against the clones' genetic information falling into enemy hands, or if the clones turned against the Patriots under their own volition. Despite being preceded by his brothers,[6] Solidus appeared more aged than the other two clones in his later life.

All three clones also lacked the ability to reproduce, which according to Solidus, had been "conveniently" written into the clones' DNA. It is this that drove Solidus to leave behind a lasting legacy to the world, due to his forthcoming death from advanced aging. All three clones also had terminator genes so that they could not be cloned.

Due to the nature of their conception and development, the Les Enfants Terribles children possessed enhanced natural abilities and durability, surviving and withstanding physical and mental situations that would result in an average human's death or mental breaking. In addition, Ocelot implied that the Les Enfant Terribles project also resulted in the children having a heightened and natural aptitude with piloting vehicles.[7]

During the 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. Government used Big Boss's DNA for gene therapy experiments to create more able soldiers. Instead of using the analog cloning method of Les Enfants Terribles, adult test subjects had their own "soldier genes" manipulated to mimic those of Big Boss, using gene therapy techniques referred to as "digital" cloning. The test subjects were dubbed "Genome Soldiers" and were later organized into the Next-Generation Special Forces, under FOXHOUND.

Early gene therapy experiments during the Gulf War resulted in test subjects suffering from various psychological side effects, which were later attributed to Gulf War Syndrome, and their children being born with various deformities (the so-called "Gulf War Babies"). The Department of Defense covered up these side effects as being caused by a combination of exposure to depleted uranium shells from anti-tank rounds, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anti-sarin injections.

Due to their genetic similarities to the Les Enfants Terribles children, Liquid saw the various gene therapy subjects as his "brothers and sisters."[8]

The following information has been detailed in official Konami-licensed media, written by various external authors. Its status in the Metal Gear canon is unconfirmed.[?]

By 1972, the project had previously produced eight batches of clones which had resulted in failure, though Dr. Clark succeeded in correcting the genetic code in the ninth batch, from which Liquid and Solid Snake were produced. The twins were born in a special underground testing facility in the Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico. Present at the birth was the U.S. President, accompanied by General Houseman. The President was incredibly nervous about the project, as he had only inherited the project from his predecessor, as opposed to initiating it. Dr. Clark assured him that there was nothing to worry about, since the earlier problems had been corrected, and she had made sure that the surrogate mother possessed certain genetic "latches" that would connect with those of Big Boss.

Dr. Clark further explained that Big Boss was unaware that the U.S. Government possessed so many of his cells, since they were taken from him when he was in surgery after suffering injures in the war. Also, Big Boss was not allowed to know about the project, no matter the outcome, though Dr. Clark theorized that he probably already knew, blaming the terrible security the government had. Although one of the clones would express more dominant soldier genes than the other, she stated to the President that this might not necessarily affect which one would become "better."

Before leaving to assist in the delivery of the babies, the President asked Dr. Clark if he could choose which one the U.S. Government kept, and demanded that they be given the "dominant" one. Dr. Clark reminded him that there was no guarantee if one would be stronger than the other. Dr. Clark later thought about what would become of Big Boss's remaining cells, due to the unexpect surplus that they received due to the twins birth. She then decided that, if the need arose, they could create another clone of the legendary soldier.

Another codename for the Les Enfants Terribles project was the "Eve Project", and the U.S. military deemed the project necessary, despite its inhuman nature, due to the events of the Cold War.[9]

The Les Enfants Terribles project was first mentioned in Metal Gear Solid. According to Hideo Kojima, he created the plot point as an excuse for Solid Snake to fight a more difficult enemy while at the same time retaining his veteran status from the MSX2 games. This eventually led Kojima to feel that by creating that plot point, he "cheated", when discussing Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. In addition, in a series of Twitter posts in May 2014, Kojima also inferred that he wouldn't have considered making Snake a clone if he thought ahead about there being more games after Metal Gear Solid, as well as splitting Liquid from Snake rather than killing Liquid off due to the character being well received.[10]

In the English version of Metal Gear Solid, Liquid states that Big Boss was in a coma when the project commenced.[11] In the Japanese version, it was mentioned that he was sterile instead.[12] Despite featuring re-recorded English dialogue and minor alterations to the previous translation, the backstory of Big Boss being in a coma was retained in the remake, The Twin Snakes.

Three types of snake can be located in Metal Gear Solid 3, during the fight against The Boss in Rokovoj Bereg. The three individual snakes are called Liquid, Solid, and Solidus. Their skin complexion and eye color suggests that the three snakes are albinos.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, when Snake fights another player also using Snake, the player can initiate a Codec conversation with Colonel Campbell, who starts wondering, "Has the Les Enfants Terribles project really come this far?" Snake explains that his doppelgänger has more than physical and genetic appearances that make them alike, it is also the fact that he has his fighting style as well, although it's not exact.

In the E3 2015 trailer for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Eli is shown sitting next to a identical looking boy as Punished/Venom Snake is heard saying "Les Enfants Terribles, Zero called it." This implies that Eli is a son of Big Boss.[15] Starting with the release of the E3 2013 trailer, fans have theorized that he is actually a young Liquid Snake.[16][17] This theory would continue to persist as the E3 2014 and 2015 trailers reveal traits of Eli which are very similar to that of Liquid.

^In the English version of Metal Gear Solid, Liquid Snake tells Solid Snake that Big Boss was in a coma when the Les Enfants Terribles project took place. In the Japanese version, it's simply stated that Big Boss was left sterile due to a combat injury.

^In the original PlayStation version of Metal Gear Solid, Liquid states "he [Big Boss] always told me I was inferior" during his speech atop Metal Gear REX. This was changed in The Twin Snakes to have Liquid state that Big Boss chose him, knowingly to be the inferior one.

^Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Kojima Productions (2008). Big Mama: The project was led by Dr. Clark, known at the time as Para-Medic. After dozens of failures, they finally - miraculously... Succeeded in producing a fertilized egg. The egg used in the successful in vitro fertilization came from Dr. Clark's assistant... A healthy Japanese woman.

^Metal Gear Solid, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998). Liquid Snake: They fertilized an egg with one of father's cells, and then let it divide into eight clone babies. Then they transferred the clones to someone's uterus and later intentionally aborted six of the fetuses to encourage strong fetal growth... You and I were originally octuplets.

^Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Kojima Productions (2008). This is shown on a monitor when Naomi Hunter is explaining to Otacon the differences between Snake, Liquid, and Big Boss, as well as how it factored into the SOP System's genetic key.

^Metal Gear Solid, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998). Revolver Ocelot: "Yes. The inferior one was the winner after all. ...That's right. Until the very end, Liquid thought he was the inferior one."

^Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001). James Johnson: He was the third Snake, preceded by Solid and Liquid... a survivor of the Les Enfants Terrible project.

^Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2004)Revolver Ocelot: You're the boss's brother, all right. Your brother ...he's an amazing man. Who else could shoot down two F-16s with a chopper. The "les enfant terribles" project was not a total failure.

^Metal Gear Solid, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998). Liquid Snake: That’s right... The Genome Soldiers that you’ve [Solid Snake] been killing are our brothers, with the same genes as ours. // Solid Snake: The Genome Soldiers!? Liquid: That's right. They are our brothers, created artificially through the alignment of nucleotides to mimic our father's genes. They too are the product of numerous sacrifices. // [...] Snake: So then... the so called Gulf War Babies that have been reported by Gulf War veterans are... // Liquid: Yes... They too our are brothers and sisters.

^Metal Gear Solid (English version), Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998). Liquid Snake: But father was wounded in combat and already in a coma when they brought him in. So they created us from his cells... with a combination of 20th century analog cloning and the Super Baby Method.

^Metal Gear Solid (Japanese version), Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (1998). Liquid Snake: だが親父は戦場で負傷?すでに不能者だった?だから俺達は親父の体細胞を使って造られた。前世紀のアナログクローン技術とスーパーベイビー法によって。[But an injury father sustained in combat left him sterile. So they created us from his cells... with a combination of 20th century analog cloning and the Super Baby Method.]

^Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Konami Computer Entertainment Japan (2001).Liquid Ocelot: The price of physical prodigy! A few more years and you'll be another dead clone of the old man! Our raw materials are vintage, brother--Big Boss was in his late fifties [sic] when they created his copies.

Sons of the Patriots DNA sequencer matching windows. Note that according to this, Liquid Snake's DNA has a 4.87% difference from Big Boss (the key to the SOP system), while Solid Snake's DNA has a 5.30% difference from Big Boss.